National Survey of Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experience Programs

Objective: The objective of this study was to identify commonalities and provide a descriptive overview of key program elements and oversight of U.S. introductory pharmacy practice experience (IPPE) programs. Methods: A Web-based questionnaire, consisting of 40 questions, was sent to 91 schools of pharmacy. The questionnaire addressed the following IPPE program topics, in addition to school demographics: program oversight, experience site selection, program structure, relationship to didactic curriculum, and quality assurance issues. Results: Forty-six schools of pharmacy responded resulting in a response rate of 50.5%. Results identified commonalities in each of the key areas, as well as identifying multiple discrepancies in interpretation of the 2007 Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) Standards and Guidelines (Standards 2007) for IPPEs. Only 21 of 42 respondents indicated they believed their IPPE program was currently in compliance with Standards 2007. Conclusion: The survey results demonstrate a need for clarification by ACPE stakeholders in several areas addressed within the Standards 2007. No other previous research surveys were found addressing the key issues identified in this survey, revealing the need for additional research on IPPE programs within pharmacy school curricula